In Egpytian writer-director Ahmad Abdalla’s latest feature, 19B, an aging caretaker looks after a dilapidated villa but soon finds his peaceful routine threatened by a young parking attendant. 19B has its world premiere at the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) and is Egypt’s sole contender in the festival’s International Competition section.
Long after the owners have moved on, an elderly caretaker (played by Sayed Ragab) continues to look after a crumbling villa. More than just a duty, the nameless protagonist considers it his home and has built his life around the once-magnificent house. He rarely leaves the place, which relies on makeshift external beams to keep it standing, but the villa has running water and he has jury-rigged electricity.
Despite seeming isolated, our protagonist is quite content. He has loving companions in the stray dogs and cats he’s adopted, and he often receives visits from his daughter Yara (Nahed El Sebaï), his neighbour Sokkar (Magdy Atwan), and a local doctor (Fadwa Abed). The caretaker loves to sit outside with a cup of mint tea and keep an eye as the outside world threatens to intrude on his peaceful existence.
The villa sits tucked away on an otherwise busy street in Cairo next to high-rise buildings and other signs of modern development. Cars park along every inch of the street, using every bit of available space in the neighbourhood including—to the caretaker’s frustration— the spot directly in front of the villa’s gated front entrance. He complains to the informal parking attendants who work on the street and attracts the attention of their boss Nasr (played by Ahmad Khaled Saleh), a young ex-con with a rough reputation.
To the caretaker’s dismay, Nasr becomes interested in the large, empty villa and begins employing a series of intimidation tactics to scare the caretaker into leaving and giving up his space. When that doesn’t work, Nasr simply forces his way inside and begins living there and using it for his gang’s black market business. But the caretaker is not the submissive old man they think he is, and he won’t give in easily. He finds ways to fight back, including sabotaging their goods and contacting the villa owners’ lawyer for help.
Although the caretaker’s friends are reluctant to get involved, he finds an ally in his daughter Yara. She worries for her father’s safety and initially insists he move in with her, but when he refuses to leave, she switches gears and her fiery spirit emerges as she helps him with his resistance. She stands up to Nasr, unafraid, and heads a search to find the owners and their now-adult heirs.
The film’s careful setup of the protagonist’s peaceful daily life and dedication to the villa is important and effectively handled. It allows viewers to really connect with the caretaker and understand the villa as being a part of him rather than just a building. It represents a connection to his past and a way of preserving stability and comfort in a fast-changing society. So, when Nasr disrupts the life the caretaker has so carefully built, we feel angry and betrayed on our dear protagonist’s behalf for the loss of the small section of quiet contentment he’s carved out for himself.
Nasr and the caretaker represent the clash of new vs old, modern development vs preservation. The film tries to humanize Nasr to make him a more empathetic character, someone who has been treated poorly in life and just wants his fair chance at making things right for himself, however we mostly remain angry towards him as he comes off as hypocritical and cruel. We root unwaveringly for the old caretaker.
The film’s limited setting and cast work very well. It’s contained but exudes emotional depth. It’s not surprising to learn Abdalla wrote the story during the pandemic, but although that sense of isolation is somewhat injected into the film, it’s also filled with warmth. It’s an interesting, emotional story about human connection, the clash of old vs new and understanding an elderly man’s desire to cling to what he knows instead of facing the chaos of change.
Abdalla is an accomplished filmmaker known for being part of Egypt’s new wave of independent cinema. Several of his films have screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, including his debut feature, Heliopolis (2009), and Microphone (2010). 19B is a wonderful addition to Abdalla’s repertoire.
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